This life is our one opportunity to be spiritually prepared to meet
Jesus. This life is where we learn spiritual faith lessons of trust in
the Atonement Blood of Christ—this is the only time and place that God can
prepare us for His Kingdom.

Only
one life is given to us to learn how to trust God in faith. The
apostle said Romans 8:12-13 we are under
no obligation to live
“after the
flesh” as the world lives—having no faith and no trust on God for anything.
If we keep following that rebellious way, the Bible reads,
“you will die”
spiritually, but if we live like a believer does—putting our trust on God,
and keeping our faith in the Atonement Blood Jesus shed for us, by the power
of His Holy Spirit, it states “you will live.” Those two choices face
everyone on earth—but only one includes the Kingdom of God.

Romans
8:18-22“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with
the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager
expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was
subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one
who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from
its bondage to decay [corruption] and brought into the glorious freedom of
the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning
[and travileth in pain together] right up to the present time.”

Trials
experienced today refine our faith in the Blood of Christ for salvation.
Any test of faith compels us to trust God for the ability to endure in the
faith—as we claim our Atonement rights in Christ Jesus. The trial may
be difficult but the reward of the faithful—who continue to believe God and
who keep their trust in the Atonement sacrifice of Christ—is more valuable
than anything on earth. 2 Corinthians 4:17“Our light and momentary
troubles [light afflictions] are achieving for us an [exceeding and] eternal
glory that far outweighs them all.”

Creation is longing to be free from the grip and penalty of sin.
Because of rebelling Genesis 3:17“cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.” A
day of freedom from that curse of sin is promised to all believers who
endure through trials and tests. Hebrews 3:13-14”Encourage one
another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be
hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we
hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”

The converting of our rebellious heart from unbelief in God to belief in
the shed Blood of Christ, must take place in this
life, because the sin
nature will not trust God in faith for anything.
Galatians 5:24“Those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions
and desires.”

People
in the world search for contentment, fulfillment, and happiness—but without
God they will fail. Unbelievers shut God out of their life, so they do
not trust Him in faith for anything. The world refuses to believe an
unseen God, and it despises those who choose to live by faith in the risen
Christ. If we are insulted, persecuted, and mocked for our faith, God
says Matthew 5:11”Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.”

The
living hope of the believer is in a living Savior who willingly paid for
their sins. The same power God used to raise His Son from the dead is
the divine power He uses to heal, deliver, convert, supply, and protect all
who will trust Him in faith. Salvation faith is Abraham’s faith
because James 2:22“his faith and his actions were working together, and his
faith was made complete by what he did.”

Our
living hope is acting in faith on the Atonement sacrifice of Jesus.
The divine power of God is ready to: heal, protect, provide, forgive sins,
convert hearts, transform lives, and save those who are willing to believe
and to trust Him in faith. Hebrews 4:2“For we also have had the
gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of
no value to [failed to benefit] them, because those who heard did not
combine it with faith.” Acting faith must be combined with spoken
faith.

Romans 8:23-25“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits
of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons,
the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already
has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it
patiently.”

The
first fruits from a tree provide hope for a harvest; as the Holy Spirit
gives us hope of seeing spiritual fruit in our life—Galatians 5:22-23“love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.” These attitudes give evidence that the rebellious sin nature
has been replaced by a believing divine nature. Every day is an
opportunity to show 2 Corinthians 3:18 we
“are being transformed into his
likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the
Spirit.”

We
long to be free from the sin nature that keeps trying to pull us back to the
attitudes, sins, and unbelief of the world. God has a double right to
our life because of creation and redemption.
Ephesians 1:4 In love,
God “chose us as His own in Christ before the creation of the world, that we
might be holy and without blemish in His presence.” We are blameless
before God only by a believing faith in the atoning Blood of His Son.

God wants us to trust Him and be saved.
Luke 12:32”Fear not, little
flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” but
the kingdom is only received by believing faith in the Atonement of Christ
to remove rebellion from our heart. Ephesians 1:7-8”It is in Him, and
through the shedding of His blood, that we have our deliverance—the
forgiveness of our offences—so abundant was God’s grace, the grace which He,
the possessor of all wisdom and understanding, lavished upon us.”

We
have only one life to be right with, and to trust in, the living God.
The rebellious ways of the world are in opposition to the trusting ways of
the believer. We can be free from rebellious attitudes that will not
believe and not trust God. Romans 8:12-13”We are debtors—not to the
flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to
the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of
the body, you will live.”

The
Holy Spirit inspires faith in God, but we must ask Him for that inspiration.
Ephesians 1:13-14”In [Jesus] you also trusted, after you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise
of His glory.”

The
shed Blood of Christ gives freedom from that attitude of rebellion which
will not trust God for anything. Hebrews 4:14“Therefore, since we
have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” It is our Christian
responsibility to trust God in faith for all life issues—especially
spiritual wisdom.

Romans
8:26-27“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words
cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with
God’s will.”

We are
not asked to meet things right in our own strength, but only in the power
God will give to those who believe. The apostle said
Acts 5:31-32”God
exalted [Jesus] to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might
give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of
these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who
obey him."

This
willingness to believe, and then to act in faith on the Word of God, cannot
be omitted. A believer will be tested in faith, but when the occasion
arises, we are to place our trust on the power of God—not
on something else. Where we place our faith determines
who we have decided to trust.

The rebellious sin nature was buried in baptism, so we are
Colossians
2:12”raised with Him through faith produced within you by God who raised
Him from among the dead.” The power of God that brought Jesus back to
life, is the same divine power available—for healing without drugs,
protection without guns, finances without welfare, justice without lawyers,
and salvation by faith in Christ.

The
issue is where we place our faith with any given situation. Trusting
God is linked to His kingdom. Jesus said
John 5:24"He who hears My
word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not
come into judgment.” God wants no one to be judged guilty, but all to
repent and be saved. It is Romans 3:22”a righteousness coming from
God, which depends on faith in Jesus Christ and extends to all who believe.
No distinction is made.”

If we
are physically oppressed, we have to decide who
to trust, and where to put
our faith. If we choose to depend on surgery, medication, or drugs,
instead of trusting on the divine power of God for healing, we would be
John
3:18"condemned already, because he has not believed [has not his trust] in
the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

God’s one requirement is that John 6:29“ye believe on him whom he hath
sent.” If we choose to believe, He gives us His Spirit who inspires
faith in us. John 3:17-18”For God did not send His Son into the world
to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He
who trusts in Him does not come up for judgment.”

God is waiting to forgive anyone who will repent, forsake their sins, and
to trust Him in faith for things in this life.
1 Corinthians 2:9“Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”Only One
Life to trust God in believing faith!